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Dan Will and Forrest Guilfoile brought the energy of northern Minnesota's lakes to Atlanta. The Bemidji High School students presented their science project, "Biological Fuel Cells II," in May at Intel International Science and Engineering Fair 2008 in Atlanta.

The third annual Lake Bemidji Dragon Boat Festival is on pace to meet or exceed the number of teams competing in last summer's festival, co-chairman Gary Johnson said. The festival currently has 54 teams registered. Registration closes Tuesday. "There's a lot of interest," said Johnson, who is co-chairing the festival with Shelly Geerdes. "Last year, we had 60 (teams). The first year we had 36." "There's just still so much community enthusiasm for our event," Geerdes said. The festival will be held July 31 to Aug. 2 at the Lake Bemidji waterfront with races taking place all day Aug. 2.

The Bemidji School Board voted 4-1 Wednesday to approve a resolution relating to the termination and nonrenewal of the contract of Lynn Tchida, coordinator of Community Education. Board chairwoman Ann Long Voelkner and board members Bill Faver, Carol L. Johnson and John Pugleasa voted in favor of the resolution. Board member Steven Johnson voted against it. Board member Gene Dillon was absent from the meeting. Tchida, a probationary employee, started the job Aug. 1.

Wishes do come true. Chelsie Gonzales-Olson, 17, of Bemidji, experienced her wish coming true when she traveled to Orlando, Fla., this spring on a wish granted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. "When I heard it was granted, I couldn't even speak," said Gonzales-Olson, who was born with spina bifida and is paralyzed from the chest down. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, spina bifida is a neural tube defect caused by the failure of a fetus' spine to close properly during the first month of pregnancy. Gonzales-Olson wished to visit Orlando because she want

As the sun shone brightly on the first Bemidji Game Fair and Pet Expo, almost all of Dana and Sarah Mattson's seven children picked up bows and arrows to give archery a try. The family from Kabekona stopped by the event at the Beltrami County Fairgrounds for some family time Saturday. The two-day event, which continues today from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., is free.

A steering committee established earlier this year to promote the Bemidji School District's upcoming referendum became the Vote Yes - Levy $501 Committee on Thursday. Dee Sweeney, who chairs the committee, said about 15 people met Thursday to brainstorm and create a vision and goals for the passage of the referendum. The Bemidji School Board will ask voters to pass a referendum that would renew the current operating levy of $501 per pupil for another five years. The referendum will be part of the Nov. 4 general election. An effort failed last year to extend and expand the current levy.

Among notable action taken at the Bemidji School Board meeting Monday: Code of Conduct The board considered the second reading of the revised Code of Conduct. ACTION: The board voted unanimously to adopt the document. Release from contracts The board considered requests by elementary technology teachers Angela LaChappelle and Michael Staum for a release from their contracts. ACTION: The board voted unanimously to approve. Certified staff appointments The board considered the certified staff appointments of Renee Leindecker as a half-time teacher of American Sign Language and a half-tim

With the aid of six registered nurses at North Country Regional Hospital, a Tanzanian woman will begin studies this fall to become the only healthcare provider in her region. Nineteen-year-old Esneth Bakendi will attend nursing school in the eastern African country for three years before returning as a nurse to Izigo, a region of about 38,000 people. At $600 per year for three years, the Bemidji nurses will sponsor Bakendi's education. "It's awesome to be able to do that," said sponsor Nancy Mickelberg, director of the Intensive Care Unit at NCRH. Mickelberg learned of the opportunity to s

The Bemidji School District's projected budget for the upcoming fiscal year may take a hit with rising fuel costs and other variables. The Bemidji School Board will consider Monday night adopting the budget for the 2008-2009 fiscal year. The board will meet at 7 p.m. in the Bemidji High School Media Center. The budget adoption is among several items on the meeting agenda. Director of Business Services Chris Leinen is now projecting the general fund budget deficit to grow to about $440,000.